Device for evacuating the interior of an aerosol material container on the inlet or mouth of which a bottom provided with dispensing

ABSTRACT

Device for evacuating the interior of an aerosol material container on the inlet or mouth of which a bottom provided with dispensing valve merely bears, the device comprising a rigid body having a recess opening to the outside at an aperture where a resilient sleeve is mounted having a projecting free edge. Within the recess of the rigid body is mounted and movable a piston having a stem between which and the rigid body two gaskets are in sealing relationship and define a chamber connected to a suction pump. The piston is movable between a lowered position where the lower end of the stem extends adjacent said aperture and the two gaskets are both at sealed conditions, and a raised position where the lower end of the stem is moved away from said aperture and the lower gasket is no longer at a sealed condition.

United States Patent Ruscitti 1 May 16, 1972 [54] DEVICE FOR EVACUATING THE INTERIOR OFAN AEROSOL MATERIAL CONTAINER ON THE INLET OR MOUTHOF WHICH A BOTTOM PROVIDED WITH DISPENSING [72] Inventor: Tomaso Ruscltti, Milan, Italy [73] Assignee: Coster Tecnologie Speciali S.p.A Milan, I Italy [22] Filed: June 18, 1970' 21 Appl.No.: 47,347

2,436,849 3/1948 Billetter l4l/65 Primary Examiner-Houston S. Bell, Jr. Attorney-Richard P. Alberi [57] ABSTRACT Device for evacuating the interior of an aerosol material container on the inlet or mouth of which a bottom provided with dispensing valve merely bears, the device comprising a rigid body having a recess opening to the outside at an aperture where a resilient sleeve is mounted having a projecting free edge. Within the recess of the rigid body is mounted and movable a piston having a stem between which and the rigid body two gaskets are in sealing relationship and define a chamber connected to a suction pump. The piston is movable between a lowered position where the lower end of the stem extends adjacent said aperture and the two gaskets are both at sealed conditions, and a raised position where the lower end of the stem is moved away from said aperture and the lower gasket is no longer at a sealed condition.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented May 16, 1972 3,662,791

2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented May 16, 1972 q 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 This invention relates to a device for evacuating the interior" of an aerosol material container, wherein a-bottom fitted with dispensing valve bears on the container mouth'orinlet.

Prior to introducinglaerosol materials'into' containers, it-is known that such containers have to be evacuated, or the'air is to be extracted, which air is entrained inthe-containers when a bottom, having a dispensing ,valve'fast therewith; is applied to the mouth or inlet of the containers.

An object of the present invention is to provide -a device. by which the interior of a container can be evacuated, a bottom provided with dispensing valve simply bearing on the container mouth or inlet.

Another object of the invention is to provide adeviceof the above mentioned character, which device is of an extremely simple structure, low cost of production and reliable in opera tion. v

A still further object of the invention is to provide. a device by which the interior of a container can be very readily evacuated and by which the bottom fitted with dispensing valve can be correctly positioned on the container mouth orv inlet, by pressing said bottom on a gasket interposed between hand the container mouth just after evacuating, so as to prevent air from entering the container because of any faults: in the gasket.

These and other objects are attained by a device comprising an outer body having a recess, at least one portion of which is defined by a cylindrical surface wall, and an inner body comprising a piston which is accomodated and movable within the stops and a stem extending from said piston into said recess which opens at an aperture in one end of the outer body where an annular resilient shaped sleeve is mounted. This sleeve has a free edge projecting from said body, the diameter of which is larger than that of said bottom and less than that of the container, there being provided two gaskets, both of which abut on said stem and outer body, defining an annular chamber therewith, two holes being drilled on the outer body and one of these holes being located between said two gaskets at said annular chamber and connectable to the intake mouth of a suction pump, and the other hole being located between the piston and gasket adjacent thereto and connectable to a pressure air supply, adjacent its free end said stem having a seat opening to the outside and at which the outer side surface of said stem is at least partially spaced apart from the adjacent surface of theouter body, the device also comprising a spring having ends abutting, respectively, on the outer body and on the inner body which, under rest conditions, is urged by said spring against one of said stroke-end stops to a position where the free end of said stem is substantially located at said aperture and said gaskets are in sealing relationship both with the stem and outer body, means being provided for controlling the pressure air supply to said hole between the piston and gasket adjacent thereto to move the inner body to contact said other stroke-end stop at a position where the free end of said stem is moved within said recess away from said aperture and only the gasket adjacent the piston is at the same time in sealing relationship with the stem and outer body.

For a better understanding of the structure and features of the device, an embodiment thereof will now be described as given by mere way of not limiting example, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are longitudinal sectional views showing the device at four subsequent operative steps.

The device comprises an outer body including an internally hollow shaped tubular wall 1 and a disc 2 screwed to an end of wall 1 and also comprises an inner body including a piston 3 and a stem 4 which is fast with the piston and extends into the recess defined by the tubular wall 1, said piston 3 being accomodated and movable within a portion 5 of the recess of wall 1 which is defined by a cylindrical surface.

Asmall hole 6and a-threadedhole 7 aredrilled in disc 2. Disc Zlactsas astroke-end stop for piston 3 when the latter is fully upward moved (FIG. 4), while anotherstroke-end stop is defined: by an enlargement 8. of wall 1, a collar 9 bearing againstthe last mentioned stroke-end stop and projecting from the surface of stern 4, when the piston is downward moved relative to theouter body (FIG. 1).

Atthe'bottom the recessof wall 1 opens at an aperture where an annular-resilient shaped sleeve 10 is mounted, which sleeve-is made. fast with the wall 1 bya threaded ring nutll and hasafree edge projecting past the wall 1 and ring nut 11, the diameter of said annular free edge being larger than that of bottom 12 and less-than that'of a container 13 on which the bottom provided with dispensing'valve simply bears. and the inside-of which is to beevacuated, as explained below.

The wall 1 supports two gaskets 14. and 15 of a V-shaped cross section and locatedas showntin the drawings, bothof these, gaskets abutting on the smooth cylindrical outer surface of stem 4 andthe inner body; between the gaskets l4and l5 and the opposing surfacesof wall 1; and stemv 4 an annular charnber l6 is defined, at which onwall I a threaded hole 17is drilled, whereas another hole l8;is,drille d on said wall 1 above the, gasket 14and, below the piston 3, on which a gasket 19 is mounted, this gasketalso being of a V-shaped cross-section.

Finally, it should be noted that piston 3and stem 4 have an inner recess partially, accomodating a spring 20, one end of which, abutting on disc 2' and the other end abutting on the inner body comprising said piston and stem. The spring action is such that under rest condition, as shown in FIG. 1, the collar 9 is urged against the lower stop comprising the enlargement 8 and the lower free end of stem 4 is positioned substantially at the aperture of the recess defined by the wall 1: still from FIG. 1 it can be seen that, under these conditions, both gaskets 14 and 15 are in sealing relationship either with the stem or the outer body.

It should finally be noted that at the free end of stem 4 a seat 21 is formed and outwardly opens and in which a known type of dispensing cap 22 can be accomodated, this cap being mounted onto the stem of a dispensing valve attached to the bottom 12 bearing on the mouth of a container 13 for aerosol materials.

Grooves 23 are provided on the outer side surface of the stern, starting at the free end of the stem and limitedly extending, as seen in the figures; particularly, it will be seen that under rest conditions, as shown in FIG. 1, the grooves 23 are located below the gasket 15.

Assume now that the hole 17 is connected to the intake mouth of a suction pump and hole 18 is connected to a pressure air supply from which the air can be supplied to the device by manual or automatic controls, and assume that in hole 7 there is screwed an extension of a device (not shown in the drawings as it can be carried out in several ways and having a structure which is already well known in the art), by which the outer body can be raised or lowered and with it also the inner body comprising the piston 3 and stem 4 relative to a rigid plane, whereon a container 13 bears. On the mouth of this container there is positioned a gasket, on which in turn a bottom 12 carrying a dispensing valve bears.

From these conditions, assume, as shown in FIG. 1, to cause the above described device to be lowered to the container: first, it should be noted that the dispensing cap will insert into the stern seat 21, then the stern will contact the bottom 12 and, as lowering continues, the piston and stem are stationary, or the wall 1 moves downwards relative to the stem and piston (FIG. 2) until the free edge of the resilient sleeve 10 contacts the surface of container 13, being pressed and sealing thereon. As seen from FIG. 2, under these conditions the groove 23 is still positioned below the gasket 15 and the collar 9 of the stem has moved away from the enlargement 8 of wall 1.

Now, as the annular chamber 16 has been evacuated by the above mentioned suction pump, pressure air is supplied to hole 18, entering the portion 5 of the recess in wall 1 and causing the piston 3 to be raised, that is the approaching of this piston to disc 2 against the action of spring 20: at a first step of this raising movement for piston 3, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower end of stem 4 leaves the bottom 12 which, as stated, merely bears onto the mouth of container 13, the groove 23 being still positioned below the gasket 15.

As the raising movement for piston 3 continues, the groove 23 will open above the gasket 15 and thus a sudden high pressure drop will be created below the end of stem 4. This pressure drop causes a sudden emerging of the air (initially at atmospheric pressure) in the container 13, which air by outflowing through the container mouth will raise the bottom 12 which impinges against the lower end of stem 4 (as shown in FIG. 4) and then, as the air outflow from the container decreases, it falls down again onto the container mouth, wherein the same vacuum degree as in chamber 16 had been created.

Now, the admission of compressed air hole 18 is shut off and the spring 20 lowers the piston 3 and stem 4 (first returning to the position as shown in FIG. 3) until the lower end of the stem (FIG. 2) bears onto the bottom 12, on which it highly presses crushing the resilient gasket interposed between the bottom and container mouth and causing said gasket to evenly adhere to the opposite surfaces of the bottom and container mouth, that is removing any depressions of the gasket because of constructive faults or positioning failures, thus ensuring a perfect sealing between the bottom and mouth.

At the next operation step, the wall 1 with the piston and stem is lifted by the device attached to the hole 7 of disc 2: it can be seen that at the beginning of this step, the stem 4 holds the bottom 12 and with it the container 13 downwardly pressed and allows the resilient sleeve 10 to be separated from the container surface, which otherwise would be difiicult or impossible to achieve, due to vacuum condition above the free edge of sleeve 10, and below it the atmospheric pressure exists.

Thus, the conditions as shown in FIG. 1 are restored, wherein however the evacuation has been effected for the inside of container 13, on the mouth of which the bottom 12 is now pressed by the atmospheric pressure crushing the gasket interposed between the bottom and the container mouth. What is now need is to clip the bottom onto the container mouth and then operate as usual to fill up the container.

As stated, the device comprises a wall 1 and piston with its stem, which can be lowered or lifted off a bearing plane for the container 13 by a known device which is made fast with the disc 2 which can be mechanically and automatically, or manually operated, but it is apparent that the wall 1 could remain stationary in the space and the container 13 could bear onto a base which upwardly raises to press the container against the resilient sleeve 10, as above described.

Also the pressure air supply to the hole 18 could be provided by automatic mechanical means, but it is apparent that such air supply or air supply shut off could be provided by manual control.

What I claim is:

1. A device for evacuating the interior of an aerosol material container on the inlet or mouth of which a bottom provided with dispensing valve bears, comprising an outer body having a recess, at least one portion of which is defined by a cylindrical surface wall, and an inner body comprising a piston which is accomodated and movable within the cylindrical portion of said recess between two stroke-end stops and a stem extending from said piston into said recess which opens at an aperture in one end of the outer body where an annular resilient shaped sleeve is mounted, this sleeve having a free edge projecting from said body, the diameter of which is larger that that of said bottom and less that that of the container, there being provided two gaskets, both of which abut on said stem and outer body, defining an annular chamber therewith the outer body having two holes and one of these holes being located between said two gaskets at said annular chamber and connectable to the intake mouth of a suction pump, and the other hole being located between the piston and gasket adjacent thereto and connectable to a pressure air sup ly, adjacent its free end said stern having a seat opening to t e outside and at WhlCll the outer side surface of said stem is at least partially spaced apart from the adjacent surface of the outer body, the device also comprising a spring having ends abutting, respectively, on the outer body and on the inner body which, under rest conditions, is urged by said spring against one of said stroke-end stops to a position where the free end of said stem is substantially located at said aperture and said gaskets are in sealing relationship both with the stem and outer body, means being provided for controlling the pressure air supply to said hole between the piston and gasket adjacent thereto to move the inner body to contact said other stroke-end stop at a position where the free end of said stem is moved within said recess away from said aperture and only the gasket adjacent the piston is at the same time in sealing relationship with the stem and outer body.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein on the outer side surface of the stem there is provided at least one groove of a limited extension and beginning at the free end of said stem.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said two gaskets are fast with the outer body and the outer surface of the stem is cylindrical.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said outer body comprises means for fastening thereof on a member operable to move the device selectively in either direction in the direction coincident with that according to which the inner body is movable within the outer body.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein a seal is fast with said piston. 

1. A device for evacuating the interior of an aerosol material container on the inlet or mouth of which a bottom provided with dispensing valve bears, comprising an outer body having a recess, at least one portion of which is defined by a cylindrical surface wall, and an inner body comprising a piston which is accomodated and movable within the cylindrical portion of said recess between two stroke-end stops and a stem extending from said piston into said recess which opens at an aperture in one end of the outer body where an annular resilient shaped sleeve is mounted, this sleeve having a free edge projecting from said body, the diameter of which is larger that that of said bottom and less that that of the container, there being provided two gaskets, both of which abut on said stem and outer body, defining an annular chamber therewith the outer body having two holes and one of these holes being located between said two gaskets at said annular chamber and connectable to the intake mouth of a suction pump, and the other hole being located between the piston and gasket adjacent thereto and connectable to a pressure air supply, adjacent its free end said stem having a seat opening to the outside and at which the outer side surface of said stem is at least partially spaced apart from the adjacent surface of the outer body, the device also comprising a spring having ends abutting, respectively, on the outer body and on the inner body which, under rest conditions, is urged by said spring against one of said stroke-end stops to a position where the free end of said stem is substantially located at said aperture and said gaskets are in sealing relationship both with the stem and outer body, means being provided for controlling the pressure air supply to said hole between the piston and gasket adjacent thereto to move the inner body to contact said other stroke-end stop at a position where the free end of said stem is moved within said recess away from said aperture and only the gasket adjacent the piston is at the same time in sealing relationship with the stem and outer body.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein on the outer side surface of the stem there is provided at least one groove of a limited extension and beginning at the free end of said stem.
 3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said two gaskets are fast with the outer body and the outer surface of the stem is cylindrical.
 4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said outer body comprises means for fastening thereof on a member operable to move the device selectively in either direction in the direction coincident with that according to which the inner body is movable within the outer body.
 5. A device according to claim 4, wherein a seal is fast with said piston. 